Fenestra - Livermore Valley

I've been waiting to get to this one for quite some time. This is one of my very favorite wineries. Great wine, fantastic selection, reasonable prices. What more can you ask for?

Fenestra has a very pretty facility, but it's really all about the wine. There are a few picnic tables and a small restroom. The rest is all about tasting, and it shows. First up was True Red, Lot 19. This is an award winning red table wine that lists for $10 per bottle. Decent stuff, although I've never been a big fan. They have a limit of six bottles, so obviously it sells well.

Fenestra has a great selection of "non-traditional" wines. In addition to three Merlots, two Cabs, Pinot Noir, a Syrah and a Zinfandel, they were pouring a tempranillo, a Mouvedre, Touriga, and selling a Malbec (selling out as we discovered, before we could buy any). They also have two fantastic ports. We really liked the Classic port, made from the four traditional varietals, and we bought another four bottles.

The Touriga is an excellent wine, although it's a little sweeter. I think of Touriga as a summer wine, one to be drunk on a summer night looking out over a sunset.

The best of the Merlots was the Santa Lucia variety, which was also the cheapest. I am a big fan of the Smith & Hook cabernets, but unfortunately those are going away. Apparently those grapes have been replaced by Pinot Noir. Another sacrifice at the altar of Sideways I guess. Why couldn't that movie have picked Petite Sirah or something else really interesting instead of PInot?

Do I like Fenestra? Well, I spent over $175, and for those of you who read this blog you know that I generally walk out the door for less than $50. Highly, _highly_ recommended.

Joel